Olive Waye

NEWMARKET — Olive P. Waye, 91, of Wadleigh Falls Road, died Aug. 30, 2011, at the Exeter Hospital and went home to Heaven to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Olive was born June 15, 1920, in Boston, Mass., the daughter of Nelson Raymond and Annie Maylor Purdy. She was raised in Ipswich, Mass., and lived in Epping and Exeter before moving to her daughter's home in Newmarket, N.H. in 2005.

She was educated in Ipswich and graduated from Essex County Agricultural School in 1938 as a dietitian and worked as a cook in many summer camps for children before her marriage to Warren H. Towne in 1944. She worked for many years at Burt Dial Company refinishing antique clock dials and later managed Adams Brown Company which was the antique clock and book business both owned by her dear friends, Thelma, and the late Herschel Burt of Exeter.

She was an active member of the Epping Community Church, singing in the choir for 25 years, writing in the church newsletter, teaching Sunday School, leading Bible studies, and participating in church leadership. She was a lay witness mission member in the Foundation for Evangelism in the Methodist Church and traveled to many churches in New England to share her story of her joy in the Lord. She was also a member of Bethany Church in Greenland and long time greeter of Community Bible Study (CBS) at Bethany Church. Olive was also involved in the PTA at the Epping Schools.

She was predeceased by her husband, Charles Waye in 1982, and her first husband, Warren Towne in 1998; and granddaughter, Karen Marie Walker in 1987.

Survivors include her two sons, David W. Towne and his wife, Therese, of Bedford and Richard N. Towne Sr. and his wife Joni, of St. Cloud, Fla.; two daughters, Carolyn Louise Towne Knight and her husband, Matthew, of Mequon, Wis., and Christine Towne Walker and her husband, David, of Newmarket; seven grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and brother, David Purdy of Unity, Maine.

Visiting hours will be held on Friday, Sept. 2, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p .m.at Kent & Pelczar Funeral Home, 77 Exeter St., Newmarket.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Epping Community Church followed by burial in Prospect Cemetery, Epping.

Flowers are acceptable, should friends desire memorials may be made to the Epping Community Church Food Pantry or Bethany Church.

Visit www.kentandpelczarfh.com to sign an online guest book.

Visit www.fosters.com/obits for an online guest book.